Photo: dhillsphotography.com

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I have a deep belief that no matter what hardships we may face, it is always possible to make our lives better. It is this belief that drew me to a career in social work, and especially to counseling. If we are willing to reach out and accept help, we can restore hope, and can renew our lives. And the good news is that it’s never too late to get started.

Whether you’ve met with therapists many times over the years, or have never met with a therapist before, sharing your story can be kind of scary. No one wants to feel judged, or like they have to hold back how they really feel.  I understand that.  You will find my style of therapy to be very approachable, and one that cultivates the trust and openness so important to healing wounds and setting a positive course in your life.

Every therapist has a story about how they came to this work. For myself, I drew inspiration from the values of service and compassion I observed in my parents: my father, a small-town minister, and my mother, a professional counselor. These values led me to pursue a career in social work, and in 2009, I obtained my MS in Social Work, at the University of Texas, Austin. I then obtained my clinical license, and am now a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).
 
In my career, I have been privileged to provide counseling services in many settings in the Austin area.  This experience includes providing individual and group counseling services at Austin State Hospital, and providing individual and group grief counseling at the Christi Center, Hospice Austin, and the Trinity Center. In addition, I have provided brief substance-use counseling sessions in the Brackenridge hospital trauma unit, individual and group mental health services at Austin-Travis County Integral Care, and in-home counseling for older adults at Family Eldercare.

​In the summer of 2018, I was selected for training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. This training is part of a program to provide trauma therapy to crime victims in the city of Austin.

In addition to my work as a counselor, I enjoy playing western-swing guitar, traveling with my wife, gardening, raising chickens, and hanging out with all of my pets.

I am a member of the National Association of Social Workers and the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science. I am proud to provide mental health services to Austin's music community as a counselor for the SIMS Foundation.

Photo: bob194156,  The Massanutten, Flickr.com